After suffering a torn ACL on January 1, Mendenhall hasn’t been expected to return for the start of the regular season, and it was a surprise when the Steelers took him off the PUP list today. But if he had stayed on the PUP list into the start of the season, he would have had to sit out at least the first six weeks of the regular season. Going off the PUP list now means the Steelers will have to count Mendenhall toward their 53-man roster limit, but they can put him on the field whenever he’s ready.

At the moment, it’s looking like the best bet for when Mendenhall is ready is Week Five against the Eagles, after the Steelers’ Week Four bye.